"I know that this feat of being able to pitch a vehicle this heavy is just awe-inspiring," she said.

Robert Holt of Deltona, a self-described "space nut," said he was impressed by the size of the orbiter.

"You just don't know until you're this close to it," he said. "This will draw a lot of visitors."

Robert Shouse of Edgewater sat on the lower level, looking up the wing of Atlantis.

"I'm just in amazement about how far we've come and enjoying the sight of it."

Atlantis was the final orbiter to fly in the 30-year history of NASA's space-shuttle program. Its last and 33rd flight landed at Kennedy Space Center in July 2011. Space dust and scorch marks can be seen on the displayed Atlantis.

Admission to the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit is included in regular admission to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.